And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. This verse records the lawyer's response to Jesus' question, quoting and combining two Old Testament commands: Deuteronomy 6:5 (the Shema) and Leviticus 19:18. This synthesis became Jesus' own summary of the entire Law (Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:28-31). The command to "love the Lord thy God" (agapēseis Kyrion ton Theon sou, ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου) uses the future indicative form of agapaō (ἀγαπάω), which in Koine Greek often functions as imperative—a command, not mere prediction.
The fourfold description of totality—"with all thy heart, soul, strength, and mind" (ex holēs tēs kardias sou kai en holē tē psychē sou kai en holē tē ischyi sou kai en holē tē dianoia sou)—demands comprehensive devotion involving every dimension of human existence. "Heart" (kardia, καρδία) represents the center of personality, will, and emotions. "Soul" (psychē, ψυχή) indicates life-force and self. "Strength" (ischys, ἰσχύς) means physical power, energy, and ability. "Mind" (dianoia, διάνοια) refers to understanding, intelligence, and rational faculty. Together, these four terms encompass total human being—affections, will, physical capacity, and intellect. No aspect of personhood is excluded from love's claim.
The second command, "love thy neighbour as thyself" (ton plēsion sou hōs seauton, τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν), assumes proper self-love (not selfishness) as the measure for love of others. The term plēsion (πλησίον, "neighbor") means one who is near, but Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) radically expands "neighbor" to include anyone in need, even traditional enemies. These two commands are inseparable—genuine love for God inevitably produces love for God's image-bearers (1 John 4:20-21).
Historical Context
The lawyer's quotation reflects standard Jewish theological understanding. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) was recited twice daily by observant Jews and inscribed on doorposts and phylacteries. It formed the theological foundation of Jewish monotheism and covenant loyalty. Leviticus 19:18's command to love one's neighbor was also well-known, though rabbinic debate focused on defining "neighbor"—some restricted it to fellow Jews, while others extended it to righteous Gentiles or proselytes.
Jesus' brilliance lay not in creating new commands but in recognizing these two as the comprehensive summary of all 613 commandments in the Torah. He stated that "on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:40)—meaning every other command derives from and serves these two foundational principles. This interpretive framework transformed Jewish legal tradition from complex casuistry to love-centered ethics.
The early church embraced this love-command as central to Christian ethics. Paul writes that "love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10) and that the entire law is "summed up in this word, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:14). James calls Leviticus 19:18 the "royal law" (James 2:8). John's epistles repeatedly emphasize that love for God and love for neighbor are inseparable (1 John 3:16-18, 4:7-21). Augustine later summarized Christian ethics as "Love God and do what you will," trusting that genuine love for God naturally produces righteous behavior.
Questions for Reflection
What does it mean to love God with 'all' your heart, soul, strength, and mind, leaving nothing in reserve?
How does the command to love God with your 'mind' challenge anti-intellectual tendencies in some expressions of Christianity?
What is the relationship between loving God supremely and loving your neighbor as yourself?
How does Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (following this exchange) redefine who qualifies as 'neighbor'?
In what ways do these two commands provide a framework for evaluating all other ethical questions and decisions?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. This verse records the lawyer's response to Jesus' question, quoting and combining two Old Testament commands: Deuteronomy 6:5 (the Shema) and Leviticus 19:18. This synthesis became Jesus' own summary of the entire Law (Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:28-31). The command to "love the Lord thy God" (agapēseis Kyrion ton Theon sou, ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου) uses the future indicative form of agapaō (ἀγαπάω), which in Koine Greek often functions as imperative—a command, not mere prediction.
The fourfold description of totality—"with all thy heart, soul, strength, and mind" (ex holēs tēs kardias sou kai en holē tē psychē sou kai en holē tē ischyi sou kai en holē tē dianoia sou)—demands comprehensive devotion involving every dimension of human existence. "Heart" (kardia, καρδία) represents the center of personality, will, and emotions. "Soul" (psychē, ψυχή) indicates life-force and self. "Strength" (ischys, ἰσχύς) means physical power, energy, and ability. "Mind" (dianoia, διάνοια) refers to understanding, intelligence, and rational faculty. Together, these four terms encompass total human being—affections, will, physical capacity, and intellect. No aspect of personhood is excluded from love's claim.
The second command, "love thy neighbour as thyself" (ton plēsion sou hōs seauton, τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν), assumes proper self-love (not selfishness) as the measure for love of others. The term plēsion (πλησίον, "neighbor") means one who is near, but Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) radically expands "neighbor" to include anyone in need, even traditional enemies. These two commands are inseparable—genuine love for God inevitably produces love for God's image-bearers (1 John 4:20-21).